By Rebecca Harrelson, Staff Writer

Published in print Sept. 3, 2014

“Counseling is about developing strengths and improving one’s self, we go to the gym or exercise to improve our bodies, and seeing a counselor can be the equivalent to help strengthen your personal well-being or condition yourself for better relationships,” stated by the VACC Director, Dr. Keith Mobley.

The Nicholas A. VACC Counseling and Consulting Clinic located within UNCG’s campus on the second floor of the Ferguson Building is an option for students and Greensboro Community members.

Dr. Mobley spoke about his background, the ins and outs of the VACC Clinic and societal thoughts that surround mental health. Dr. Mobley has a PhD in counseling and counselor education, he is a LPCS, which is the supervisory license in NC, a clinical professor and has been on the UNCG faculty since 2004.

Before that he has 15 years of experience working in psychiatric inpatient hospital, community mental health, residential treatment and outpatient facilities.

Within the clinic there are 27 rooms, available for different purposes; some rooms are used as conference rooms and twelve rooms designed for counseling and counseling related activities.

Because VACC is a training clinic, meaning all the services are by graduate students in the department, the sessions are recorded. “It’s important for our clients to know that we take confidentially and privacy very seriously for ethical and legal reasons, but we must record sessions so that the supervisor can renew them and ensure quality of care. Recordings require consent from our clients and we have a very secure method, in the last 10 years there have been no breaches of confidentially since I’ve been clinic director.” 

VACC offers individual, group and couples counseling, career assessments and career counseling, and play therapy. Group counseling sessions are formed around many different topics such as women’s issues, depression, anxiety, grief, communication skills and relationship issues. “I think the stigma associated with seeking counseling is changing, although there are still social mores that prevent us from talking openly and honestly about ways we feel isolated, different or suffer.”

Dr. Mobley stated “I think sometimes people perceive mental illness as a weakness, but that’s far from the case. There are so many stories of strength and hope that we hear from people trying to improve who they are and the impact they have on others.” Nicholas Vacc was a former faculty member in the Department of Counseling and Educational Development Director until 202, the following year the clinic was named for him.